On Sunday, Leeds Vicar Jude Smith is running the Leeds half marathon to help Ethiopian women who walk the same distance each day just to find water.
Jude, who is Pioneer Team Vicar in Hawksworth Wood with Moor Grange, says, “The half marathon coincides with the start of Christian Aid Week which is supporting women living in poverty around the world - and it’s a good illustration, as in Ethiopia women walk further than I will run EVERY day to find fire wood to sell or water to drink.”
Jude became a dedicated runner several years ago. She says, “I took it up when I was a curate and knew I needed to get fit because of the demands of the job - and I lost 5 stone in the process. It would be great if I beat my personal best of 2 hours 20 minutes on Sunday, but I’m not holding my breath (as it were) - particularly after staying up for the election results on Thursday night!”
Christian Aid Week is Britain’s longest running house-to-house fundraising week. Jude says, “The marathon is a useful way of helping the community engage with the charity, as some of the older people don’t feel able to distribute the envelopes anymore, so they can now sponsor me instead. I really hope people will support Christian Aid who are turning lives around through education and small business start ups.”
St Andrew’s at Moor Grange will be offering hospitality to stewards.
Support Jude at the just giving site - https://www.justgiving.com/Jude-Smith1/
Christian Aid Week 10-16 May - www.caweek.org
Notes for Editors
Four times a week, in a remote corner of Ethiopia, Loko Jarso makes a back-breaking eight-hour trip to gather wood to sell to feed her children, with only thin flip-flops to protect her feet from thorns and rocks; but if she doesn’t do it her children will starve. In this community women are denied education and respect, and are trapped in a life of poverty.
In Ethiopia Christian Aid partner HUNDEE works with both women and men in poor rural communities to challenge violence against women and harmful traditional practices, such as child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM), to bring about lasting change and ensure women can live in dignity and are treated with respect.
Loretta Minghella, Chief Executive of Christian Aid said: “The unequal distribution of power and opportunities between the sexes is at the heart of poverty, and we are working with both men and women in communities around the world to bring about change. We are working with partners like HUNDEE to break down the barriers and root out the injustices that hold women back, and give them a chance to stand on their own two feet.”
Contact
Alex Jones (ajones@christian-aid.org 07816 749307). 24 hour press duty phone – 07850 242950